GREENVILLE, PA—Thiel College invites the local community to celebrate the season at the annual Thiel College Christmas Festival on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. in the William A. Passavant Center of Thiel College. 

This year’s program, “From Darkness into Light,” features the Thiel Choir, Thiel Chamber Singers, Thiel Handbell Ringers and the return of Thiel College Concert Band, all under the direction of Dr. Michael R. Bray, professor of music. Thomas Jeffries will conduct the concert band and Kathryn Gray (organ) and Jaime Kirchhofer (cello) will provide accompaniment to Thiel’s student singers.

The concert performance will include a variety of Christmas music, including several “sing-along” Christmas carols.  Music by composers K. K. Davis, Olaf Christiansen, Healy Willian, Ralph Vaughn Williams, Johann Georg Ebeling and others will be featured. Christmas readings will be interspersed among the musical selections.

The Christmas Festival, established by Dr. Marlowe Johnson in 1953, was held for many years in the Rissell Gymnasium. Today, Thiel’s student musicians perform in the Passavant Center and continue the tradition of designing, building and painting the set for the concert.

The concert is free and the public is encouraged to join in this celebration of the holiday season. Free-will offerings will be accepted. For further information call Bray at 724-589-2149.

-30-